


The Storm After the Storm

by onyeenhok



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Spoilers, Trigger warning for panic attacks and flashbacks, maybe I'll add more later?, not exactly spoilers but just in case, this is a 2am drabble and completely unedited
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-26
Updated: 2018-10-26
Packaged: 2019-08-07 19:45:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16414733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onyeenhok/pseuds/onyeenhok
Summary: Akira hasn't recovered mentally or physically from the interrogation... Ryuji wants to be there for him.





	The Storm After the Storm

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MusicalDefiance](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusicalDefiance/gifts), [SweetbunThorn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetbunThorn/gifts).



> This is inspired by some great art by MusicalDefiance that you can find here: http://musicaldefiance.tumblr.com/post/177838032270/a-couple-post-interrogation-doodles-because-the

Akira had known that when he got captured, he would be interrogated. He had known they would beat him. Threaten him. He was more than willing to bear it all, to be the sacrificial lamb to save his friends. None of them deserved this. None of them…

A heavy kick sunk into his gut, sprawling him across the floor and forcing the air out of him. His stomach lurched and he dry-heaved, the burning gag turning into a cough. In front of him, he could see the shining syringes that had been emptied into his veins not too long ago. Or was it long ago? He couldn’t tell. Even now, the room swam in front of him, and his reactions were sluggish as he looked up at the man who had kicked him.

“Akira.” Whose voice was that?

His split lip burned. His breath came shallow and ragged. The wall in front of him swam, the warm brown mixing with steel, cold and unyielding. Another kick, this one coming to an excruciating halt against his ribs. Instinctively, he recoiled, curling around himself, but the handcuffs… It wasn’t something he’d ever considered, but it felt awfully, terrifyingly vulnerable to have his hands restrained like this.

_“Akira.”_ Who…?

The glimmer of the harsh white light reflecting off the syringes had no right to look so pretty, instruments of pain they were. But it looked like stars. When was the last time he’d actually looked at the stars? Would he ever see them again? What if-?

“Akira, stay with me.” Was that…?

“Ryu...ji…?” Akira forced the name out between gasps, just barely managing to meet Ryuji’s eyes. The warmth there was so comforting, it felt like home…

“Yeah, it’s me. I’m here, you’re safe.” Worry colored his tone and added tension to his frame, but he was still the best thing Akira had ever seen in that moment.

“Ryuji…” His voice cracked, and a sob tore its way out of his throat. Tentatively, delicately, he reached out and took a handful of Ryuji’s shirt, squeezing the fabric until his knuckles turned white.

“I’m okay.” The words were shaky. An obvious lie. The desperation in Akira’s slumped shoulders dug in and twisted at Ryuji’s heartstrings. This was something Akira had taken on for the sake of the entire team, and even now that the others could help, he was still trying to shoulder it all.

“Ryuji, I’m okay.” He sounded more sure this time, and Ryuji’s fingers curled into fists where they rested on his knees.

“Don’t give me that shit, Akira. You were… I can only imagine what they did, you don’t gotta take that all on yourself. Let me help. And I mean more than just changing your bandages. It’s okay to need help, dude.”

The silence after he spoke was heavy and Ryuji almost gave in and kept talking, but just as he opened his mouth to say something, Akira’s head fell forward to rest on his shoulder. A moment of still. Then, Akira hesitantly shifted, nuzzling and burying his face deeper in Ryuji’s shoulder. Ryuji held him gently, arms wrapping around Akira’s waist but not holding tight. Something gave him the awful feeling that if he held too tight, Akira would just shatter and fall to pieces…

Muffled sobs became the only sound in the room, and the spell that created the illusion of that terrible fragility lifted. Ryuji pulled Akira into his lap, one arm staying around his waist while the other hand reached to pet his hair comfortingly.

“I’m here for you. Just let it out…”


End file.
